


Don't Panic

by erkirk



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, M/M, Reading Leonard McCoy, Romance, Sick James T. Kirk, Sick Leonard McCoy, Starfleet Academy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-09
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2018-01-08 01:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1127008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erkirk/pseuds/erkirk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard comes home to find that Jim is sick and when Jim asks Bones to read to him, he can't really say no, now can he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Panic

It has been a long, unforgiving day at the clinic. A deep bone wariness filled the man as he walked the length of the campus to his dorm building, hoping that silence might greet him, but he’d never had that sort of luck, not once in his life had he caught a break, unless you counted having James T. Kirk waiting for you at home with nothing, but those big, blue eyes and wide, warm smile. A sigh passed his lips as he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, tilting his head up towards the midnight skies above him. His long stride came to a pause and he scowled up at the full moon, muttering to himself and causing any passer-bys to inch away, like he might be rabid and snap at them at any moment. Maybe he was, maybe he planned to bite them, but just didn’t have the energy to. Whatever the case, Leonard McCoy started walking once more, the scowl on his face twitching up at the corners the closer he got to his building. 

As he approached, he took note of the fact that the dorm light was turned off and that caused hi scowl to lift just a little bit more. It wasn’t that he didn’t love Jim; it was that he just didn’t have the strength, nor the will to deal with him and all his over abundance of energy. The kid was like a Chihuahua on crack. That thought did put a genuine smile on his lips and he reached out to type in his access code for the dorms, but as he neared his own room, thoughts started to tangle in his mind. This was not normal for Jim. The kid wasn’t one to go to bed this early. Hell, normally the kid would be out getting into all kinds of trouble or he’d be waiting outside the clinic to walk home with Leonard. That was about the time he check his communicator as he walked down the seemingly endless hallway. 

Nothing, not a message saying that he would be home later or that he’d see him when he got home. A small portion of panic filled McCoy and he sprinted the final lengths to the dorm they shared, keyed in that code with surprisingly steady hands and came to a halt in the doorway a look of pure amusement on his face as he looked at his partner. 

Jim sat on the beds that they had pushed together, curled up like a little Kirk burrito, sniffling and sneezing. Those bright eyes looked at his doctor with a plea in them, but Leonard felt no need to indulge the man. If Jim wasn’t smart enough to make sure that he didn’t get sick in the first place, then McCoy wasn’t going to give him something to make it go away. 

“Welcome home, Bon-“ The greeting was cut off by a fit of sneezing and the expression on Jim’s face, like he was a computer that had just gone through a hard restart, Leonard bracing his hands on his knees to laugh. Jim was less amused, but he really couldn’t help it. Leo was so used to having to deal with much worse where Jim was concerned and it was a nice change for it to be nothing more than the common cold.  
The Kirk burrito rose from the bed and shuffled over to McCoy, thumping his forehead onto the older man’s shoulder. “Bones, don’t be so heartless.” His voice was pitched at a whine and Leonard snorted, petting the blond hair that brushed up against the side of his face.

“I’m not bein’ heartless, kid, I’m teaching you a lesson.” That got a dissatisfied look from Jim before the human burrito ambled back to the bed and flopped down on it, burrowing in and yawning widely.  
“Well, since you won’t drug me, will you at least be kind enough to read to me?” He flashed those big, cerulean blue eyes at Leo and he knew he couldn’t say no so with a long suffering sigh, he moved to the bathroom.  
“Yeah, give me ten minutes.” He hoped that within those ten minutes Kirk would fall asleep and then he wouldn’t have to read to him. Jim always took way too much joy out of listening to him read. More often than not, Jim would lay there next to him, curled around a pillow, bright eyes closed and a silly grin on his face, giggling at all the noises and inflections that Leo would put into what he was reading, especially when that reading involved lists that contained more than three things. 

Tonight was no different, as much as Leonard had hoped the blond would be out like a light when he was done changing clothes. Kirk lay there, watching him, staring into those hazel eyes that more often than not looked like a deep green forest; a soft smile quirked up his lips before he sneezed following that up with a groan that caused the younger man to thump his head down onto his pillow while he sniffled.  
Bones settled on the bed next to him, pulling out the PADD that contained the story they’d picked out, but had yet to start. He glanced over at Jim as he turned it on. Kirk had rolled over to face him, wiggling out of his burrito like position to share the blanket with his partner. McCoy settled in with Jim tucked close to his side as be began to read The Hobbit, pausing every so often to make snarky comments or to sigh as he started a long winded list. When he came to the songs he paused, looked sidelong at him and stated in a matter of fact voice, “I ain’t singin’ for you, kid.” Jim looked up at him with a pout curling his lips and widened those vivid eyes, but the affect was ruined by an unexpected sneeze and the younger male flopped back down on the bed, waving his hand for Bones to continue. 

Leonard well read through the first chapter and part of the second before Jim’s soft, even breathing drew his attention and he realized he’d fallen asleep. With a fond smile, he said their place and put the PADD down on the bedside table before commanding the lights to turn off. He didn’t allow the fact that Jim was sick bother him as he coaxed Jim onto his other side and curled up around him from behind, tucking the blond’s head under his chin.  
Sleep came easy that night, but waking did not. McCoy blurrily opened his eyes as the alarm clock went off. His head was killing him, it felt like someone had stuffed cotton in it and he could barely think with the pressure building just behind his eyes and down in his sinuses. He could hear Kirk moving around in the bathroom and Leo rolled over onto his other side with a groan, slapping his hand on the alarm clock and burrowing deeper into the mess of blankets and pillows.  
“Good morning, Bones!” Jim’s obscenely cheerful voice greeted him and Bones rolled slightly to look at him. The color was back in Kirk’s cheeks, those bright eyes even brighter and he glared, full on glared at him.  
“You gave me your illness.” His voice was accusing, but that smile on Jim’s face didn’t falter at Bones’ harsh words, just grew wider and the younger man came towards the edge of the bed, putting a knee up on it and leaning over him.  
“Guess it’s my turn to read to you and make you feel better.” Not caring much that doing this could make him sick again, Jim leaned forward and pressed a loving kiss to Leonard’s lips. The doctor returned it for a few moments and then pulled away, yanking the blanket up over his head. 

“Oh no, you ain’t readin’ to me. You’ll sing and when you sing, you always make me feel like I sound like a dying cat when I even try.” Though the words were a scold, there was affection behind them and Jim just shrugged before he rose from the bed and stretched his arms over his head. That was about the time that Leonard noticed that Jim was dressed for classes. “Leavin’ already?” He asked between sniffles, eyes closing as they felt much too heavy to keep open.  
“Yeah, I just have this one class and then I’m off the rest of the day. You should stay here and sleep though; you’ll feel better if you do.” Jim reached out and stroked a hand over Bones’ hair which caused the man to humph and pulled the blanket completely over his head, making Jim chuckle. 

“This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve been sick before, you know.” Leo peeked out at him, narrowing that single visible eye into a glare, letting Jim know that there was an equally brooding scowl below the line of the blanket, “I’ll call in sick at the clinic and lucky me, I don’t have class today.” He huffed once more before turning onto his stomach and curling his arms around his pillow, eyes closed.  
“Alright then. I’ll be back later and if you trust me not to burn the place down, I’ll make soup.” That got Jim a tired, but scathing look and the man laughed, grinning widely before he turned away, tossing a wave over his shoulder, “I’m going, I’m going. Sheesh.” As he reached the door, he paused and looked back at the older man curled up under their blankets, “I love you, Bones.” It was softly spoken and he lingered for a minute listening.  
“Love you too, Jim.” Was his sleepy answer and then he was off to deal with his class and get back to Bones as fast as possible. After all, Leonard was hardly ever sick and Jim wanted the chance to take care of him for once, since there was never a lack of Jim care in this relationship. It would a nice change, he hoped, even if it was only for a day.  


**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is my first Star Trek fic that I have published for the public eye so let me know what you all think of it.  
> Thanks!


End file.
